What Is Lemon8? A Parent’s Guide to the Newest Trending App

Every couple of years, a brand-new social media app pops up and quickly grabs kids’ attention. Right now, that app is Lemon8. So, what is Lemon8 exactly, and should you let your child use it? Let’s break it down.

Contents:

• What Is Lemon8?
  • How Lemon8 Compares to Other Apps
  • How Does Lemon8 Work?
• Who Uses Lemon8?
  • What Kind of Content Do You Find on Lemon8?
  • Why Teens and Young Adults Love Lemon8
• Safety Concerns & Risks of Lemon8
• Is Lemon8 Getting Banned? What It’s All About
• How to Use Lemon8 Safely
• Pros and Cons of Lemon8
• FAQs

What Is Lemon8?

App Store

Lemon8 is a new social media platform that combines the creativity of TikTok and the aesthetics of Pinterest. It’s owned by the same company as TikTok, Bytedance, which is why so many teens and young adults are already talking about it.

The app is highly visual and community-driven, with a big focus on lifestyle inspiration—think fashion, beauty, travel, wellness, and recipes. Posts are designed to look polished and “aesthetic,” often with carefully edited photos, short videos, and captions that feel more curated.

How Lemon8 Compares to Other Apps

Lemon8 takes parts of other popular social media apps used by content creators to create an engaging and beautiful app.

Like Instagram, it highlights beautiful images and short captions. Similar to Pinterest, it’s all about saving posts and curating collections. And like the popular app, TikTok, it uses an algorithm-driven feed that recommends content based on personal interests. This helps users discover new creators quickly.

Because of this mix, Lemon8 feels more niche and positive than TikTok’s fast-paced entertainment style, while offering more depth than Instagram.

How Does Lemon8 Work?

The app is simple to use if your child is already familiar with other social platforms. On Lemon8, they can:

• Scroll through a personalized feed based on their interests
• Like posts, leave comments, and follow creators and influencers
• Create their own content using templates and editing tools to style photos or add text overlays

Most posts focus on personal but polished lifestyle content, like a skincare routine, a favorite outfit, or even a vacation itinerary.

For parents, it’s important to know that Lemon8 combines creativity, connection, and community. It creates a space designed to feel inspiring and visually engaging.

Who Uses Lemon8?

Veja/Shutterstock

Lemon8 is especially popular with teens and young adults, striking a chord with both Gen Z and Millennials. Most users are between 18 and 34 years old, with the 25-34 group making up a large share. Reports also suggest that more than half of users are female, which makes sense given the app’s strong focus on fashion, beauty, and lifestyle inspiration.

What Kind of Content Do You Find on Lemon8?

Lemon8 specializes in lifestyle content. It boasts posts that are highly visual, polished, and often meant to inspire. Some of the most common categories include:

• Fashion. Outfit ideas, styling tips, seasonal looks.
• Beauty & Wellness. Skincare routines, self-care tips, health advice.
• Food & Recipes.Quick recipes, meal inspiration, aesthetic food photography.
• Travel & Home Decor.Travel diaries, vlogs, interior design ideas.
• Lifestyle & Self-Development.Daily routines, productivity hacks, personal stories.

These posts often feel like a mix between a mood board and a personal blog.

Why Teens and Young Adults Love Lemon8

It’s no surprise that Lemon8 has become so popular amongst teens and young adults.

The platform blends the polished look of Instagram, the inspiration-driven style of Pinterest, and the algorithm discovery of TikTok, all in one place. Teens and adults love content that feels aspirational but still doable, like “day-in-the-life” vlogs, self-care routines, and travel recaps.

The app also encourages saving, sharing, and commenting, which makes it easy for users to feel like they belong in small, niche communities.

Safety Concerns & Risks of Lemon8

If your teen has started talking about Lemon8, you might be wondering if it’s safe for them to use. Like most social apps, Lemon8 has both benefits and risks.

On the plus side, it can spark creativity, provide inspiration, and connect kids with communities that share their interests. But as parents, it’s important to also understand the potential downsides and how to guide your child through them.

Privacy Concerns

Like Instagram and TikTok, Lemon8 collects personal data to recommend content and show ads. Teens who post often may reveal more than they realize through photos, captions, or even location details.

Teaching your child how to use privacy settings and think carefully before posting something is key.

Inappropriate Content

Even though Lemon8 focuses on curated lifestyle categories and posts, not everything is age-appropriate. Teens could come across unrealistic beauty standards, questionable health tips, and mature themes.

Encourage open conversations about what they see and remind them to think critically about the content and creators they see.

Screen Time

Lemon8’s endless feed makes it easy to lose track of time, just like TikTok or Instagram. Without limits, hours of scrolling can creep into school, sleep, or family time. Setting healthy boundaries around screen time helps kids balance their online and offline worlds.

Peer Pressure & Cyberbullying

Like other social apps, Lemon8 can create pressure to look “perfect” online. Teens may compare themselves to polished posts or face negative comments. Regular check-ins about how they feel when using can help you catch problems early.

Age Restrictions

Lemon8 requires users to be 13 and older, but younger kids can sometimes bypass these rules. It’s important for parents to stay involved and guide their children on how to use the app responsibly.

Is Lemon8 Getting Banned? What It’s All About

Koshiro K/Shutterstock

In recent months, many users and creators have started asking the same question: could Lemon8 end up banned just like TikTok? The concern goes deeper than the app itself, touching on politics, data privacy worries, and new laws being put into place.

Lemon8 is owned by ByteDance, the same Chinese company behind TikTok. A U.S. law known as the “divest-or-ban” act could force the company to sell its U.S. operations or shut them down completely. While the law is often discussed in connection with TikTok, it also covers other ByteDance apps. In 2024, Lemon8 underwent an integration with TikTok, combining both apps.

When TikTok was briefly banned in January 2025, Lemon8 disappeared from the app store too, along with other ByteDance apps. This showed that even if Lemon8 isn’t always mentioned by name, it’s directly tied to the larger legal battles against its parent company.

How to Use Lemon8 Safely

Lemon8 can be a fun and creative outlet for teens, but just like any social app, it’s important to set safe boundaries. Parents can use a combination of built-in controls, open communication, and supportive tools to help teens explore the app responsibly.

1. Built-in Parental Controls in Lemon8

Lemon8 does not offer robust parental controls like screen time limits or content filtering. What it does provide are a few basic tools that parents should know how to use:

• Supervision Mode
  1. Open your child’s Lemon8 profile.
  2. Go to Settings → Supervision.
  3. Enable the toggle — this sets the account to private.
  4. Your child cannot disable it without access to your phone, ensuring continued safety.
• Privacy Settings
  1. Switch the profile to Private under Settings → Privacy, so only approved followers see posts.
  2. Block or unfollow suspicious accounts.
  3. Restrict comments to friends or turn them off entirely in Comment Controls.

For stronger protection, combine these settings with device-level parental controls to manage screen time limits, content filters, and overall app usage.

2. Open Communication

Technology alone isn’t enough. Regular conversations about how your child uses Lemon8 are just as important.

• Ask which posts and creators they enjoy.
• Discuss how content makes them feel and any uncomfortable experiences.
• Remind them that they can always come to you without fear of judgment.

When kids know they can share openly, they’re more likely to come to you if something feels off.

3. Using Findmykids to Stay Informed

Findmykids app

And if you’d like an extra layer of support, tools like the Findmykids app can help. It allows you to keep an eye on your child’s online activity, screen time, and even their location while allowing children to explore safely:

• See how much time your child spends online and which apps they use.
• Track their real-time location to make sure they’re where they should be.
• Set alerts for unusual activity or locations.

Combined with trust and open communication, Findmykids can give parents peace of mind while giving kids the freedom to explore safely.

Download Findmykids today to support your child’s digital safety and independence!

Pros and Cons of Lemon8

Pros

• Creative Outlet. Teens can share polished photos, videos, and lifestyle posts using built-in editing tools.
• Inspiration Hub. Great for fashion, wellness, recipes, travel, and more.
• Community Connection. Helps kids find peers with similar hobbies and interests.
• Calmer Pace. Feels more curated and less overwhelming than TikTok.
• Skill Building. Encourages creativity, design, and even writing through styled posts and captions.

Cons

• Privacy Risks. Like most social apps, it collects data and can reveal personal details.
• Inappropriate Content. Teens may run into unrealistic beauty standards or adult themes.
• Screen Time Traps. Endless feeds make it easy to scroll for hours without noticing.
• Peer Pressure. The push to look “perfect” online can be stressful.
• Cyberbullying. Negative comments and comparisons can affect self-esteem.
• Uncertain Future. As part of ByteDance, it could face bans or restrictions in some areas.

Should You Let Your Teen Use Lemon8?

If your teen is interested in using Lemon8, it’s important to first understand the potential risks and set up the right safety measures.

For extra peace of mind, the Findmykids app can give you helpful tools to stay in the loop—like screen time controls, activity tracking, and location features—so your child stays safe while exploring apps like Lemon8.

And if you found this guide helpful, don’t forget to share it with other parents who might be wondering whether Lemon8 is right for their kids.

FAQs

New Africa/Shutterstock

What is the purpose of Lemon8?

Lemon8 is a lifestyle-focused app for sharing photos, videos, and inspiration that gives users a creative space to express themselves and connect with others.

How is Lemon8 different from TikTok?

Lemon8’s display is more similar to Pinterest, but uses the TikTok algorithm to push relevant content in front of users. Instead of endless video scrolling, Lemon8 displays a mix of photos and videos.

Why is Lemon8 also banned?

Lemon8 is owned by ByteDance, the same owners of TikTok, meaning it is at risk of being banned due to ongoing legal issues with the company and the U.S. government.

Is Lemon8 trustworthy?

Just like any social media platform, it’s important to take online safety precautions. However, Lemon8 is a legitimate app.

How to delete the Lemon8 account?

To delete a Lemon8 account, go to the app’s settings. Tap the profile icon and tap Menu. In the menu, select Account and then Delete Account. 

Who owns Lemon8?

The Chinese company ByteDance owns Lemon8, along with TikTok and CapCut.

Cover image: bella1105/Shutterstock